Share this article
Improve this guide
Steam Download Goes On and Off: 4 Methods to Fix It
Tested and proven fixes to stabilize your download speed
4 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
Share this article
Improve this guide
Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more
Key notes
Some Steam users reported noticing an issue regarding the download process on the online gaming platform.Downloads stop for no reason and resumeautomatically.
This is just one of the many download issues on Steam, but it is one of the most annoying. To fix this issue, we devised a series of solutions listed below.
Why are my Steam downloads fluctuating?
Below are some of the reasons your Steam download goes on and off:
What can I do if the Steam download goes on and off?
Before moving to the fixes in this section, try the following prerequisite checks:
If these do not solve the problem, you can proceed to the fixes below.
1. Change the download region
The download region has surprisingly been the major reason the Steam download goes on and off. Users have been able to fix it by switching to faraway and weird regions.
Seoul in Korea and Frankfurt in Germany are the two most used regions. So, you can try them too.
2. Limit the download bandwidth
Some users have found joy in fixing this issue by throttling their downloads and limiting the bandwidth. This is because the automatic setting can be why the Steam download goes on and off when your network fluctuates.
Hence, setting it to a fixed value should fix the issue. Some of the values used by users include 25MB/S and 14MB/S. But you can use reduce it to any value depending on your bandwidth.
3. Disable DiagTrack
The DiagTrack service is a Windows process that collects data on functional issues. For some reason, it has been found to be the cause of the Steam download going on and off issue. Disabling it has fixed the issue for many users.
4. Allow Steam to run through Windows Firewall
If the solutions above fail to fix the Steam download goes on and off issue, your firewall might be blocking the connection. In this case, you need to whitelist Steam to restore normalcy.
That’s about it for this issue. We hope that at least one of our solutions can help you fix your fluctuating Steam download.
In the same vein, if your Steam download is slow, check our detailed guide to speed it up.
Feel free to let us know the solution that helped you fix this issue in the comments below.
Madalina Dinita
Networking & Security Specialist
Madalina has been a Windows fan ever since she got her hands on her first Windows XP computer.
She is interested in all things technology, especially emerging technologies – AI and DNA computing in particular.
Prior to joining the WindowsReport team, she worked in the corporate world for a number of years.
User forum
0 messages
Sort by:LatestOldestMost Votes
Comment*
Name*
Email*
Commenting as.Not you?
Save information for future comments
Comment
Δ
Madalina Dinita
Networking & Security Specialist
Madalina is a Windows fan since forever, especially interested in AI, emerging technologies, privacy, and security.
